Mild hurricane season comes to an end

Community Reports

Published
6:40 am CST, Sunday, November 30, 2014

A relatively mild hurricane season is coming to an end for the Texas Gulf Coast. The 2014 Atlantic hurricane season, which ends on November 30, had eight named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes. Earlier this year, forecasters called for a near normal to below-normal season due to existing atmospheric and oceanic conditions that could suppress cyclone formation.

“We’re grateful it’s been a mild season, but we should never let down our guard,” said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. “We know another storm is coming, we just can’t predict when.”

This year, the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) was able to monitor hurricane season and other real-time emergencies from its new Emergency Operation Center (EOC). The new state-of-the-art facility is larger and better equipped to monitor incidents and mitigate problems during regional emergencies.

The new EOC, located at Houston Transtar, is part of the building’s expansion project that has added 26,000 square feet of new floor space, and renovated 11,000 square feet of existing space.

“We want to remind residents that disasters aren’t limited to hurricanes or a specific time of year,” added Emmett. “Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, so it’s important to be prepared year round.”

As hurricane season comes to an end, and winter takes over, we encourage our residents to remain informed and prepared. Visit www.readyharris.org to get the latest emergency information.